All entry fees must be paid by Friday, April 28th 6pm. Entry fee includes all meals, awards, and goodie bags. Souvenir shirts and caps can be purchased.

Registration will take place at Stingaree’s Down Under at 6:00 pm Friday April 28, prior to the Calcutta, but is not required.

Fishing Rules All anglers must have a valid Texas Fishing License and Saltwater Stamp. All Texas Parks and Wildlife rules must be observed. Boats may leave the dock 6:00 am on April 29th. Natural or artificial bait may be used.

3 Trout (limit of one trout over 25” per team), 2 slot redfish and 1 flounder will we weighed per team. Winners will be determined by total weight of the catch (maximum of 6 fish). Ties will be broken by check-in times.

Winners may be subject to polygraph. Cash prizes may not be awarded until authenticity is determined.

Tournament boundaries are the surf from High Island @ HWY 124 West to San Luis and

Galveston bay complex. Entries can begin from their preferred launch or beach access.

Tournament will begin at daylight April 29th.

Weighing Official weigh in will take place from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm at Stingaree’s Restaurant & Marina and will be administered by the Lions Club. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Prizes and Payouts

Heaviest Stringer: 3 Speckled Trout, 2 Redfish, 1 Flounder

1st place – $2000.

2nd place – $1000.

3rd place – $500

Kids Hardhead Haul-in 12yrs old and under presented by Holtzclaw Memorial Foundation.

Heaviest Hardhead wins a $500.00 scholarship

Kids can start fishing at 8:00am. Weigh-in will be between 9:00am-10:00am. Awards

ceremony for kids will be @10:30am. Hot dogs and drinks will be served.

Do you believe?

Commercial fisherman Delino Comeaux says he was out checking his crab traps on the foggy morning of February 10 when he witnessed what appeared to be a hairy, upright-standing figure near the water’s edge of Elmgrove Point.

“I had just got done pulling my last trap into the boat, and I spotted some movement out of the corner of my eye. At first glance, it looked like a big hog, but then it stood up on two legs.” Comeaux says at that point the creature retreated back into the overgrown vegetation of the island.

Late last year, a photographer from Galveston, who wishes to remain anonymous, reported seeing a similar being near the Point Bolivar Lighthouse. “I came to capture some of Bolivar’s beauty at dusk and saw what I thought to be a large, ape-like animal through the lens of my camera. When I looked with my naked eye, it was gone. Just like that!”

Sightings of Sasquatch, as he is known in the South, are a fairly common occurrence, though there have never been reports of the unproven creature being seen on the Bolivar Peninsula until now, according to the Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy.

Resident believers have theorized that the misunderstood monster may have been seeking warmer climates due to global cooling and receding ocean levels, and found himself in the vicinity of the timbered area of Anahuac during the time of Hurricane Ike in 2008. Following the storm, he was most likely caught on a raft of pine trees that became lodged on Goat Island, and as a result has been living there ever since. It is also purported that the primate survives on crabs, oysters, and shrimp. Assumedly, he may be a pescetarian.

But after years in hiding, Bigfoot is ready to embrace the boundless experiences Bolivar Peninsula has to offer. From Spring Break to Labor Day, and every weekend in between, catch him enjoying the sights, sounds, and local events that make Crystal Beach so unique. Photo ops will be available every Saturday through the summer at the Big Store. Follow their Facebook page @TheBigStore for more details.

Smear yogurt on each side of your Flounder. Season cornmeal with Tony Chachere seasoning to your taste. Dredge the Flounder through the cornmeal on both sides. Heat oil in a skillet and fry about 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towel.

Mango Salsa:

Chop in squares 1 Mango

Chop in squares 1 Avocado

Add Cilantro to taste (about 1 Tbsp.)

Add 1 Tbsp. Lime juice

Chop 1 Tbsp. Purple Onion in small pieces

Chop in tiny pieces 1/2 jalapeno without seeds or insides.

Mix in bowl thoroughly and place Salsa on top of Fried Flounder.

Serve with Mango Salsa on top and enjoy the crispy rich flavor perfectly blended for an mouth-watering taste! This Fried Flounder with Mango Avocado Salsa will quickly become one of your favorite recipes.

Anchors can cause lots of issues on small boats. Most anchors are designed to use sharp points, hooks and spikes. The anchor assembly usually has a short chain that connects to the anchor rope. These anchors are carried on the small boats flat deck, making it easy to trip over. Anchors designed without a protective vinyl coating can damage this deck. Anchor compartments are not usually big enough to retrieve and store the anchor quickly or efficiently. On many occasions these anchors bring in mud, grass and muck into the boat. As a result of these various problems, the situation shown in the photo is a common scene.

This AnchorUP solution is a slender polyethylene container that holds the anchor in a stable, upright position. It accommodates anchors rated for boats up to 36” long. This solution also has a small footprint, requiring less than half of the deck space normally required by a complete anchor-chain-rope assembly. Both ends of this anchor system is rounded and boaters can walk on the deck safely. The many benefits of the AnchorUp system are:

Quiet Anchor Removal

Deck Footprint 6”x24”

Two 3/8’s diameter floor mounting holes

High Density Polyethylene Material

UV Color Stabilized For Life

Large Drain Holes For Easy Cleanup

Black & White Available

Weight: 7 Lbs.

Never again will anchors and ropes become a nuisance on your boating or fishing trips. Cleanup will be a breeze. Come by Texas Marine and check out the AnchorUp, it’s the best place for your Anchor!

Christmas Only Comes Once A Year!

So, get in on some of Texas Marine’s unique gifts for the boater, angler or watersports enthusiast in your life!

This one is a new and innovative way of dealing with the many rods and reels scattered around your home. The Angler’s Tote and Angler’s Tote XL are versatile, multi-use gifts for fisherman. Both are rugged, compact designs that are ideal on-board rod racks for any boat. Each model loads and unloads quickly. The 8-rod model uses upper and lower clips to hold light tackle rods in place. The 6-rod model, design handles larger combos, uses upper and lower brackets. The clips and brackets are adjustable up and down on the frame for perfect control. Ultra-light crappie rigs up to 2 piece surf rods can be carried easily. The rods are separated, which keeps them tangle free when carried with the terminal tackle. Each model can be locked into on-board positions or removed by use of a single hitch pin.

DECK MOUNTING

It is quick and easy to mount and use. Innovative, efficient new way to transport and store your fishing poles.

Texas Marine was honored to be able to put on a BBQ benefit for Boys Haven’s Capital Investment campaign in Southeast Texas. They are growing and need to build more cottages for the boys that are coming to live there. We love what the folks at Boys Haven do, decade after decade, to invest into the lives of their residents.

Life is already tough for most of the boys living there. We wanted to do something to give back to the organization that puts it on the line every day to help these young men, for over 70 years. Many of these boys are growing up there and it needs to feel like a home to them. Anything the community can do to help is always greatly appreciated by the wonderful group of dedicated staff and volunteers at Boys Haven.

Texas Marine, as a proud sponsor, decide to donate funds on every boat sold the day of the BBQ Fundraiser we put on last month. We, along with our team, managed to make hundreds of dollars for this well deserving organization. We are looking forward too many more years of fundraising events in the future. You can read about them or help with a donation at: BoysHaven.com

Tucked away in one of the numerous pdbmagazine.com articles this last month is a heroic look at someone who sacrificed so much for the United States getting to live out his American Dream. It just so happens for Bronze Star recipient, Staff Sergeant Travis Mills, that dream included a pontoon boat. He said he remembered waking up in the hospital after an IED had exploded during his 3rd tour in Afghanistan, with no arms or legs. The exact words out of his mouth were “I want double stuffed Oreos, pineapple juice and I’m going to buy a double-decker pontoon boat to pull us all around Higgins Lake on a tube.” He had never even owned a boat before but suddenly that is what he knew he wanted. He used that as one of his motivators for almost 2 years of rehab.

After rehab, he was in a position to boat shop. He started going to local boat shows to learn what he wanted. The double-decker Avalon seemed to be the perfect fit. When he finally settled on it and went to get it at the local dealer he missed it by only a few minutes. Someone else had decided they just couldn’t live without it. In the long run, it worked out much better because he got to purchase an Avalon LSZ 2685 Cruise model which had most of the exact amazing features including the layout. It had the Art-Deco design, the only thing it lacked was the top deck. Its Retro looks of the Cadet drivers stand hearkens back to the muscle car days and provides a fun driving experience. It also has a powerful Millenia Bluetooth stereo, & speakers, tilt steering, soft Pillow top drivers chair and comfortable lounge seating with flip up storage compartments. Staff Sergeant Mills doesn’t regret his time in the army and would actually prefer to still be serving, rather than retired due to the IED. But to put a positive spin on it, at least he can be on the water more than most other boat owners.

Staff Sergeant Mills has become a motivational speaker these days. So many are eager to hear his story which is truly inspirational. He grew up in Michigan and admits to the fact that Avalon boats are built in his Hometown state, which somewhat factored into his decision to buy one. However, it was only part of what he considered. Sergeant Mills took plenty of time to do his research and for him the priority was quality. He purchased the Avalon from his local dealer and has gotten to be friends with many of the staff there. He only had to have a few modifications made in order to accommodate his disability. He needed an elevated stand next to the helm with the digital throttle controls raised to be able to reach them. The first summer he had the boat he had to stay on board and cook because it was to hard to get back in the boat once he learned to swim in the water without his arms and legs. Thanks to his local dealer a hoist was installed thanks to the dealers ingenuity.

Although Sergeant Mills has plenty of obstacles to overcome, regularly, he now has a hobby he and his family can do together, thanks to his new Avalon LSZ Cruise pontoon boat. There are plenty of things he cannot do with them, but now he can go tubing, boating and fishing with them. His boating experience actually motivated him to start a non-profit organization in order to help other disabled veterans realize there is still plenty of life worth living, despite their handicaps. He brings veterans and their families to Maine where he shows them first hand how life can still be lived to its fullest. The boat helps with giving them confidence and independence. For the ones that bring kids, it gives them a way to have fun and play together. If you would like to contribute to helping his non-profit it is called “The Travis Mills Foundation” and has raised 2.7 million dollars so far to help wounded veterans start living life again.

Prepare dark roux or purchase it like you would normally do. in a microwave melt the butter. In a saucepan over high heat add butter, celery, onion, green pepper, parsley, pepper and small bundle of tied together fresh herbs of your choosing, such as rosemary. Saute it all together for several minutes, stirring. Then you can add the veal stock and lemon juice and boil for a couple of minutes. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 tblspn of the dark roux and simmer another 3 minutes until mixture is thick. Then keep adding the roux on tblsnm at a time until the sauce gently coats the spoon. Season it all to your taste wtih salt and pepper. Strain the sauce carefully into a bowl.

Frying Method:

In a deep heavy saucepan fill halfway with oil. Heat to 350 degrees. Place the flour on a plate and season it with salt/pepper.

In a separate bowl add the buttermilk and milk. Place in large, shallow bowl mix the milk and buttermilk. Dredge your fish fillets through the flour, then dip in buttermilk, coat both sides the same. Dredge back through the flour a second time and gently shake excess off. Lower the fillets into the heated oil. Fry for 5 minutes until a golden crispy brown.
Dredge two of the trout fillets in the seasoned flour, then dip in the buttermilk mixture, coating both sides evenly. Dredge again in the seasoned flour and gently shake off the excess. Gently lower the two fillets into the oil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown, nudging occasionally. Retrieve the fillets gently with a skimmer and transfer onto paper towels on a plate to drain.